Cycle or like locking mechanism



March 2 1948. A. MlLwAlN CYCLE OR L IKE )LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Nw. 29, 1946 Patented Mar. 2, 1948 CYCLE R LIKE LOCKING MECHANISM Alfred Milwain, Coventry, England, assgnor of two-thirds to Herbert Harold George Hitchcox and Annie Hitchcox, both of Coventry, England Application November 29, 1946, Serial No. '713,147 In Great Britain June 16, 1943 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires June 16, 1963 claims. (c1. 'zo-185) This invention relates to a locking mechanism for a cycle, tricycle, tandem or the like.

My main object is to provide a simple form of mechanism which can be applied to existing bicycles with very little diiiiculty.

According to the invention, the mechanism comprises a, casing having parts adapted yto be clamped together so as to embrace the steering head of the cycle, a key-actuated lock secured in the casing and having a movable element to coact with a catch to hold the catch either in an operative position in which it is adapted to extend through a, hole in the steering head into a hole in the stem of a front fork in the steering head or with the catch in all positions of the latter. Conveniently the catch is a bolt, the movable element of the lock carrying an eccentric which works in a transverse slot in the bolt to move it.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-section through the steering head of a bicycle having a locking mechanism, according to the invention, shown partly in section;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line Il-II of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an elevation of a locating plug hereinafter referred t0.

In the drawings the chain line il represents the ordinary forward inclined frame member of a bicycle and I2 the tubular frame'member of the steering head having inside it the rotatable stem i3 of the front fork, indicated by the chain lines I4. In the present instance the fork stem I3 has in it a hole which in one position of the front fork, i. e., when the latter is set to steer in a circle, as shown in Figure 1, is aligned with a hole in the tubular frame member I2, the two holes being of a size to receive a locking catch in the form of a bolt I5. The latter is slidably supported in the body or casing of a locking mechanism formed of two parts I6, il which can be secured to one another by socket screws I6, the heads of which lie Within recesses IB. Normally, one of the heads is screened from the opening to the recess by a plug 23 mounted in a transverse bore of the casing and having a hole 2| through which the locking bolt I5 extends, the

2 other head being screened by means oi the stationary barrel 22 of a barrel-type lock which is operable by means of a key 23. Thus, until the plug and the barrel 22 have been removed there is no access to the socket screws I8 and the parts cannot, therefore, be dismantled. The plug 2!! cannot be removed as its hole 2| is engaged by the locking bolt, and the barrel 22 is located in position by means of a counter-sunk dowel in the casing-indicated at 24. The locking bolt I5 has a transverse slot engaged with an eccentric pin 25 on the rotatable member on the key-actuated lock.

`It Will be observed from Figure 1 that when the key has been turned to the position shown, for which purposes the fork must lirst be set at the appropriate steering angle, the locking bolt I5 is driven home and the fork is thus locked at this angle and, the key having been removed, the bicycle can only be wheeled in a circle, which militates against it being stolen. When the key is reinserted and turned in the other direction, the locking bolt I5 will be withdrawn outwardly to be clear of the hole in the stem I3, thus allowing the bicycle to be steered in the ordinary manner.

In assembling the parts on a bicycle, the casing parts can first be mounted in position and the two holes then drilled in the frame member I2 and the fork stem I3 (while the latter is set at an appropriate angle) to be in line with the hole 2l in the plug 20. Thereupon the locking bolt is inserted in position and then the key-actuated lock with its eccentric projection 25 engaged with the transverse slot in the locking bolt, after which the key-actuated lock is located in position by the insertion of the dowel pin 24.

The parts aforesaid can be inexpensively manufactured and assembled, and fltted to existing bicycles and the like with very little trouble.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A locking means for a cycle or the like having a iiXed steering head and, supported therein, 4the stem of a steerable front fork, the locking means comprising a casing having parts adapted to be clamped together so as to embrace the steering head, a key-actuated lock secured in the casing, the lock having a movable element to coact with a catch to hold the catch either in an operative position in which it is adapted to extend through a hole in the steering head into a hole in the stem of a front fork or in an inoperative position in which the catch will be free from engagement with the hole in the stem of the front fork, members for clamping the parts of the casing together housed in the interior of the casing, one of said members being normally covered by the lock, anda rpluglocated in the as'hg 'lb'y intererigagenient 'with'the catch in all positions of the latter, the plug normally covering the other of said members vto thereby prevent removal of the casing without isturbing the lock and the plug.

2. A locking means fora cycleor the like, Aaccording to claim 1, in which the catch fis Aa b'olt, the movable element of the 'lock carrying an Aec centric which works in a transverse slot in the bolt to move it.

3. A locking means for a, cycle or the like, l'

according to claim 1, in which tthe vkey-actuated lock and the plug are carried in a bore in fthey casing transverse to a bore in which the catch is carried.

4. A locking means for a cycle or the like, according to claim 1, in which the catch is housed in, and movable through, a hole in the plug so as to retain the plug in the casing.

5. A lockin'gfrnans fora cyclefr the like, according to claim l, in which the clamping members are screws.

ALFRED MILWAIN.

REFERENCES CITED TIP-he :following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date -1-,268,-13-7 Malloux June 4, 1918 1,416,413 Paige May 16, 1922 '2,14325'02 Taman Jan. 10, 1939 

